Researchers at Tufts University in the United States have succeeded in developing a new method for converting glucose into lactose with an efficiency of over 95% by genetically engineering the bacterium Escherichia coli.
Taglutose is a natural sugar that has about 92% of the sweetness of regular sugar sucrose but provides only 40% of its calories.
This feature makes it an ideal and healthier alternative to sugar in the food industry.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously approved glutathione as a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substance, allowing its use in food products.
This achievement could help reduce added sugar consumption, combat obesity and related diseases, and pave the way for the industrial production of this low-calorie sweetener.
